Faces of the Uninsured: Oklahomans Weigh Their Options On The Health-Care Marketplace

Hugh Meade hopes he can find a health plan that costs less than his home mortgage. Katie Bolin is looking for an insurer who won’t turn her down for pre-existing conditions. Ricardo Lopez Jr. wants coverage so he can stop going to free clinics.

Meade, Bolin and Lopez are among several hundred thousand uninsured Oklahomans whose lives could change when the next phase of the Affordable Care Act takes effect.

Starting Oct. 1, Oklahomans can begin applying for private-market policies through a new federally-operated online health insurance marketplace. The policies will take effect on Jan. 1, 2014.

Many people remain confused about the details, although the federal government is offering information and pre-registration at www.healthcare.gov or 1-800-318-2596. The coverage options available through the health-care act, widely known as Obamacare, won’t necessarily work for everyone. But for people like Meade, Bolin and Lopez, they might make sense.

Oklahoma Watch is a nonprofit organization that produces in-depth and investigative journalism on important public-policy issues facing the state. More Oklahoma Watch content can be found at www.oklahomawatch.org.

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